2026 World Juniors Odds & Betting Sites

Get the latest World Juniors odds and betting predictions below so you can make this your most profitable junior hockey betting season yet! Scroll down for reviews of the best sites to bet on the World Junior Championship, and sign up stat so you can bet on the best hockey odds for this upcoming tourney.

Gold Medal Winner

We’ll update these odds as soon as they become available!

Country	Odds to Win Gold
Canada	TBD
USA	TBD
Sweden	TBD
Finland	TBD
Czechia	TBD
Slovakia	TBD
Switzerland	TBD
Germany	TBD
Latvia	TBD
Denmark	TBD

Check out the latest World Juniors betting odds above and see who’s favoured to take home gold at the 2026 tournament in Minnesota, USA. Click on any of the odds to place a bet!

World Juniors Game Odds

Game	Moneyline	Puck Line	Goal Total
Sweden vs. Slovakia (Dec 26/1:00 PM EST)	TBD	TBD	TBD
Denmark vs. Finland (Dec 26/3:30 PM EST)	TBD	TBD	TBD
Germany vs. USA (Dec 26/6:00 PM EST)	TBD	TBD	TBD
Czechia vs. Canada (Dec 26/8:30 EST)	TBD	TBD	TBD

Tournament Top Goal Scorer Odds

We’ll update these odds as soon as they become available!

Player	Odds
Michael Hage (CAN)	TBD
Eric Nilson (SWE)	TBD
Aatos Koivu (FIN)	TBD
Cullen Potter (USA)	TBD

Place your bets on the top NHL prospects in the tournament with the latest leading scorer odds above in the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. Click on any of the odds to place a bet!

How to Bet on World Juniors Odds

Here’s how you can wager on World Juniors odds in four simple steps:

1. Choose a sportsbook. Find the best oddsmaker for you by scrolling down to view our list below or by checking out our in-depth guide to the best hockey betting sites. Be sure to take into account the odds offered, sportsbook features, banking options, and customer support.
2. Create an account. Click “Register” or “Join” and provide your personal information to open an account. You may need to verify your identity with a government-issued ID.
3. Deposit funds. Make an initial deposit into your new betting account by transferring funds from your bank through an available payment method of your choice. This deposit funds the bets you’ll make.
4. Place your bet: Navigate to the hockey section of your sportsbook. Locate the IIHF World Juniors tournament. Select your wager(s) and add them to your bet slip. Hit confirm.

That’s it! Once your bet is locked in, all that’s left to do is watch the action unfold and sweat out your wager! 💡 Pro tip: don’t deposit more than you’re willing to lose. Check out the responsible gaming section at your preferred sportsbooks to set deposit limits for your account.

Best World Juniors Betting Sites Canada

Breakdown: Top 3 World Juniors Betting Sites

If you’re looking to place a bet on the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship but aren’t sure where to get in on the action, be sure to check out our top 3 World Juniors betting sites featured below. Each of these oddsmakers offers competitive lines and juicy IIHF World Juniors odds for the 2026 tournament.

1. bet365

The World Junior Hockey Championship is a global event so you can’t go wrong taking your action to bet365 – one of the most popular sportsbooks from across the globe.

bet365 offers bettors a one-of-a-kind sports betting experience. You can find a plethora of fantastic hockey betting odds along with exclusive betting markets for the 2026 World Juniors. Sign up with bet365 here.

⭐ Highlights:

• Massive Betting Library on the World Juniors
• Great Hockey Betting Odds
• User-friendly Sportsbook Interface

2. Sports Interaction

If you’re planning on backing Team Canada at the 2026 World Junior Championships, then why not place your bets with a homegrown sportsbook like Sports Interaction?

Proudly repping their Canadian roots, Sports Interaction excels at providing a stellar sports betting experience to Canadians. Offering some of the best World Junior odds on the market, you can also score your next big win in real-time thanks to their superb live betting interface. Sign up with Sports Interaction here.

⭐ Highlights:

• Fantastic Live Betting Odds
• Great Selection of World Junior Championship Markets
• 24/7 Customer Support

3. BetVictor 

Having been among the top dogs of the sports betting world for multiple decades, you can’t go wrong placing your bets at BetVictor.

Providing an easy-to-use sports betting platform for placing any bet on World Juniors games, BetVictor has something for everyone to enjoy thanks to their competitive odds, unique betting markets, and so much more. Sign up with BetVictor here.

⭐ Highlights:

• Competitive Hockey Odds
• Specials on the World Junior Hockey Championship
• Fast Deposit Speeds

2026 World Juniors Snapshot

• Location: St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
• Date: December 26th, 2025 – January 5th, 2026
• Tournament Format: Round Robin Group Stage | Single Elimination Playoffs (Top four Teams from each group qualify)

Group A	Group B
USA	Finland
Sweden	Czechia
Slovakia	Canada
Switzerland	Latvia
Germany	Denmark

Note: Russia is still banned from competing in the IIHF World Junior Championships.

Matt’s World Juniors Predictions

Gain expert insight and analysis into this year’s tournament and who’s favoured to take home the win in the gold medal game.

Team Canada

Team Canada, the longtime alphas of the World Junior Championship tournament, will have something to prove entering the 2026 tournament. After failing to medal in back-to-back years for the first time since 2013-14, the Canadians will look to make a statement in this year’s event.

While Canada’s roster will be finalized ahead of the tournament’s start in late December, the core group is centred around elite prospects, including projected 2026 No. 1 NHL pick Gavin McKenna. As hungry as ever, Canada is a great bet to win Gold at the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship.

Team USA

Having claimed victory in the Gold medal game in two straight years, the host Americans are in a prime position to become the first team to claim three consecutive gold medals since Canada won five in a row from 2005 to 2009.

With USA hockey seemingly in a golden era, the skill level of Team USA has been sensational each year. As they’re likely to receive a considerable momentum boost playing in front of their home crowd, don’t sleep on the Americans to cruise their way to the medal rounds in 2026.

Team Finland

Team Finland is the last team outside of Canada or the USA to claim a gold medal at the World Junior Championship, making them an underdog to watch at the upcoming tournament.

After suffering a heartbreaking defeat to the USA in the gold medal game in 2025, the Fins are motivated to upgrade from silver to gold at the 2026 tournament. Having medaled at three of the last five World Juniors, Team Finland is blossoming into a regular contender for the top spot at this event.

Can’t Miss World Juniors Games to Bet On

While every game is crucial to each team’s success at the World Juniors, some games mean more than just a win or loss. With historic rivalries set to be renewed at the 2026 event, see how you can raise the stakes further by betting on the action with these can’t-miss games.

Team Canada vs. Team USA

When: With Team Canada and USA separated into different groups this year, the only potential matchup they could have would be during the knockout stage, making their lone potential matchup even more intriguing for hockey fans.

As the biggest international rivalry in the hockey world, the beef between the Canadians and Americans is unlike anything else in sports. With both of these teams often seen as the top hockey superpowers in the world, these matchups are equally for bragging rights as well as gold medals.

While it’s been Canada that has had the most success in the history of this rivalry, the USA has gotten the best of Team Canada in recent tournaments, including a 4-1 beatdown on New Year’s Eve in 2024.

👉 Set to buck the trend, back Canada to finally get back into the win column against their rivals at the 2026 World Juniors.

Team Sweden vs. Team Finland

When: Just like the USA vs. Canada, if we are going to be treated to a Sweden vs. Finland clash, it will come in the elimination stages, making for a must-see matchup.

Next to the Canada vs. USA rivalry, the intensity on the ice shared between Sweden vs. Finland is another marquee matchup of each tournament. Both countries, having played each other often due to their close geographical locations, have developed a bitter rivalry.

👉 If you’re looking for a betting edge on the matchup, back Finland to take the win as they continue to cement themselves as a top dog in the hockey world.

Team Canada vs Team Czechia

When: December 26 at 8:30pm EST

Lastly, every Canadian will be glued to their screens for their upcoming clash against Team Czechia this Winter. Having been dealt surprise losses in back-to-back years by Czechia in the tournament quarterfinals, the Canadians will want to get their revenge in 2026.

While Canada has long dominated this rivalry, Czechia has shown rapid development in its skills, as well as a legitimate hunger to find success at the World Junior Hockey Championships.

👉 Looking to kick the tournament off to a hot start, back the Canadians who are primed to take the win in this heated affair.

How to Read World Juniors Odds

Here’s how to read World Juniors odds using the American odds format, as it is the most common across the sports betting landscape.

In American odds, a favourite is shown using a minus sign (-) and an underdog with a plus sign (+).

The minus sign represents the amount that needs to be wagered in order to profit $100. Inversely, for an underdog, the plus sign shows how much profit is made by wagering $100.

Example: If Team Sweden is a -150 favourite in a game against Team Switzerland at +120, you’d need to wager $150 in order to profit $100 when backing the Swedes. If you wanted to back the Swiss squad instead, a $100 wager would net you a $120 profit if they win.

You can, of course, bet any amount you want! Reference our helpful betting table found below for more insight on potential payouts on bets less than $100 based on the example above. You can also use our betting odds calculator to help determine your potential winnings or to convert decimal or fractional odds into American format.

Wager	Odds	Payout
$5	-120/+150	$4.97/$7.50
$10	-120/+150	$8.33/$15
$20	-120/+150	$16.67/$30
$50	-120/+150	$41.67/$75

Most Popular World Juniors Betting Markets

To help you understand how you can score a big win on this year’s tournament betting opportunities, learn more about how each of the most popular World Juniors betting markets works below.

Each of these betting markets has its own unique winning criteria, so be sure that you fully understand how the market works prior to placing a bet on the latest World Junior hockey odds.

🏒 World Juniors Moneyline Bets

As simple as it gets in sports betting, moneyline bets are simply gambling slang for picking the winner of a game.

For example, if Germany were playing Latvia, you could bet on either team’s moneyline depending on who you think will win. In this betting market, understanding how to read betting odds is crucial, as both teams will have varying payouts depending on how oddsmakers view the matchup’s competitiveness.

🏒 World Juniors Puck Line (Spread) Bets

Similar to a point spread in basketball or football, a puck line is a point spread bet for hockey. It’s typically set at -1.5 goals for the favourite and +1.5 goals for the underdog. This means:

• If you bet on the favourite on the puck line, that team must win by two or more goals for the bet to win.
• If you bet on the underdog, they can either win the game outright or lose by only one goal for your bet to win.

For example, if Sweden were a -1.5 favourite against Switzerland, then they’d need to win the game by two goals or more in order to “cover”. On the other hand, Switzerland would either need to win outright or lose by one goal to cover.

🏒 World Juniors Over/Under (Totals) Bets

Betting on an over/under allows bettors to wager on the total number of goals scored in a game.

For example, if Finland and Russia had their goal total line set at 5.5, you could bet that the total number of goals will be Over or Under the set line. This means if you bet the Over, six or more total goals would need to be scored in the game. For the Under to hit, five or fewer combined goals would have to be scored.

🏒 World Juniors Futures

A futures bet is a wager on an event to take place later in the tournament. Futures odds can be an incredibly profitable market when wagered correctly. Popular examples of a World Juniors future include:

• Group winners
• Teams to medal
• Which team wins gold

🏒 World Juniors Player Props

As one of the most exciting ways to bet on the World Juniors, player props allow you to hone in on the performances of the top players in the tournament. Player props featuring betting markets such as:

• Anytime goal-scorers
• Over/Under on shots on goal
• Total saves or blocked shots

🏒 World Juniors Parlays

A parlay is when you combine multiple bets into one single wager. Odds are increased for every bet selection added, but in order to win, every pick needs to hit. If even a single pick is unsuccessful, the bet is a loss.

An example of a same-game parlay in World Juniors hockey betting could look like this:

• Team Canada to win the game
• A specific player, say Gavin McKenna, to score at least one goal
• The total goals scored in the game to be over 5.5

If all three of these outcomes happen in the same game, the parlay wins, and you collect based on the combined odds of all three bets. But if even one part of the parlay fails, the entire bet loses.

📈 World Juniors Odds Betting Trends

To help you gain a competitive advantage over the oddsmakers for your bets on the 2026 World Junior Hockey Championship, be sure to consider these helpful betting trends. Each of these betting trends is notable and can be used to help you formulate a winning wager on your World Juniors predictions.

➡️ Back Canada and/or the USA to Medal

As the two top teams taking part in the 2026 tournament, backing Canada and/or the USA to medal is a great bet. History speaks volumes, and since 2015, every year at least one, or both Team Canada and the USA have won a medal at the World Juniors.

For any hockey bettors, I’d recommend placing bets on both teams to advance to the medal rounds, with one or both teams helping score you a nice payday as a result.

➡️ Overs on the Preliminary Stage, Unders on the Playoff Stage

A great piece of betting advice to keep in mind throughout the tournament is to bet the Over total goals during the preliminary stage, then start taking the Under once the playoff stage begins.

With uneven matchups between developing teams and established powerhouses, as well as less stress placed on the teams competing, the Over on the goal total typically hits within matchups played in the Group Stage.

However, this trend flips once the knockout stage begins as teams tighten up, play at a higher competitive

level, play safer when moving the puck, and the weaker teams have been weaned out of the competition.

➡️ Top Goal-Scorer Trends

If you’re going to bet on the top goal-scorer odds for the 2026 World Juniors, there are several trends for you to be aware of.

Firstly, don’t expect anyone to net 10+ goals. No player has scored 10 or more goals at the World Juniors since 1993, when the dynamic Swedish duo of Markus Naslund and Niklas Sundstrom both accomplished the feat, scoring 13 and 10 goals, respectively.

Additionally, backing the top players on European teams is a great way to go when it comes to betting on a goal-scoring leader, as they’ve produced six of the last 10 tournament leaders.

🏆 Previous World Juniors Champions

Year	Tournament Winner
2025	USA
2024	USA
2023	Canada
2022	Canada
2021	USA
2020	Canada
2019	Finland
2018	Canada
2017	USA
2016	Finland

🥇 All-time World Juniors Champions

Country	Gold Medals Won
Canada	20
Russia	13
USA	7
Finland	5
Sweden	2
Czechia	2

The Goal Line: World Juniors Odds

Don’t wait, check out the latest odds to win the World Junior Hockey Championship today, find your next winning wager, and place your bets ahead of puck drop on Boxing Day 2026.

Be sure to factor in our helpful betting insights and advice featured above, and find the online betting site that’s right for you with our in-depth sportsbook reviews.